The Irving Planning and Zoning Commission voted to forward Comprehensive Plan Amendment 2024-389CP and companion Zoning Case 2024-391 ZC to City Council with recommendations of approval, clearing the way for a prospective buyer to repurpose Calvary Church's property at 4401 North State Highway 161 for light industrial uses, including a potential data center if power feasibility is confirmed.

Constellation Real Estate Partners representative Scott Ellerman told the commission Constellation entered into an agreement to purchase the church property and that proceeds would fund Calvary Church's relocation. Pastor Ben Daley of Calvary Church described the congregation's decades-long presence in Irving and said staying in Irving was a priority; Michael Carter, who represented the church in the sale, said a simultaneous closing and a leaseback arrangement will allow the church to continue operating while it constructs a replacement facility.

Proposal and timeline: Ellerman said Constellation prefers a data center for the site if transmission and power capacity can be secured; the company is working with Encore and engineering consultants to determine whether on-site transmission and a substation would be feasible. As a fallback the developer said it would proceed with a speculative light-industrial warehouse. Ellerman said the parties expect to close in early Q2, and that construction of the church's replacement facility would likely take about 12–15 months; the leaseback period may extend up to 18 months if needed.

Why it matters: The site is roughly 24.5 acres; Ellerman said the existing church buildings total about 100,000–115,000 square feet. A data center would require additional transmission infrastructure and a likely on-site substation; the developer said that building footprint would be similar for an industrial warehouse and a data center, though a data center could be slightly taller.

Commission response and action: Commissioners praised the proposal's creative financing for the church but several said the application felt premature until power feasibility is confirmed; one commissioner said they could not support a data-center-first approach without clearer confirmation of infrastructure, though others supported the overall amendment and zoning change to preserve developer flexibility. The commission voted to forward the comprehensive plan amendment and the zoning case to City Council for approval.

Next steps: The commission's recommendations will be considered by City Council. The developer and Calvary Church said they intend to complete a simultaneous closing and execute a leaseback while the church builds its new facility.